History Main / FantasyGunControl

%% Changed description per the Trope Description Improvement Drive (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13164954120A97000100&page=8#186). Cut stuff is on analysis. Please think long and hard before adding new cruft to the description; most will likely fit on the analysis page. %%

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%% Changed description per the Trope Description Improvement Drive (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13164954120A97000100&page=8#186). Cut stuff is on analysis. Please think long and hard before adding new cruft to the description; most will likely fit on the analysis page.%%

Something to note is that this primarily applies to fantasy set in [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy the typical medieval-ish setting]], with castles, swords, knights and so on. UrbanFantasy tends to have no problem mixing guns and vampires, witches, wizards, etc., since this form of {{Fantasy}} tends to use the modern world as we know it. The same goes for ScienceFantasy, where the intent is to MixAndMatch things like laser guns and spells. More horror-oriented fantasy works also tend to avert it--if werewolves and vampires are featured, [[SilverBullet silver bullets]] are likely to be used. When it comes to FairyTales, the trope is absent.

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Something to note is that this primarily applies to fantasy set in [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy the typical medieval-ish setting]], with castles, swords, knights and so on. UrbanFantasy tends to have no problem mixing guns and vampires, witches, wizards, etc., since this form of {{Fantasy}} tends to use the modern world as we know it. The same goes for ScienceFantasy, where the intent is to MixAndMatch things like laser guns and spells. More horror-oriented fantasy works also tend to avert it--if werewolves and vampires are featured, [[SilverBullet silver bullets]] {{Silver Bullet}}s are likely to be used. When it comes to FairyTales, the trope is absent.

* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': In Berserk's fantastic setting, where magic can reshape the landscape in a matter of moments and strong swordsmen sometimes end a fight scene on a literal mountain of bodies, the exclusion of firearms from the story is heavily [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]]. On one hand, just about all armies and navies make extensive use of cannons, to the point where the objective of the first raid that Griffith makes Guts participate in is to set the enemy's gunpowder stores on fire, and he sets his own artillery as an ambush for the enemy. Guts and Grunbeld each have a miniaturized cannon as part of their personal weaponry, and use their explosive power as a devastating trump card against hordes of enemies or powerful monsters, to which can be added Rickert's [[spoiler:portable rocket launcher]] and the miniature bombs he made for Guts. The big caveat that makes the trope still present is that besides these characters, warfare is still universally waged with arrows from massed bowmen and crossbowmen, and even the countries whose large number of cannons suggest the technological capacity to mass-produce hand firearms for their troops continue to rely on old-fashioned archery without a hand gun in sight. The fact that Rickert also invented an AutomaticCrossbow for Guts that fires faster than any gun suggests that bows won't become obsolete any time soon.

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* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': In Berserk's fantastic setting, where magic can reshape the landscape in a matter of moments and strong swordsmen sometimes end a fight scene on a literal mountain of bodies, the exclusion of firearms from the story is heavily [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]]. On one hand, just about all armies and navies make extensive use of cannons, to the point where the objective of the first raid that Griffith makes Guts participate in is to set the enemy's gunpowder stores on fire, and he sets his own artillery as an ambush for the enemy. Guts and Grunbeld each have a miniaturized cannon as part of their personal weaponry, weaponry and use their explosive power as a devastating trump card against hordes of enemies or powerful monsters, to which can be added Rickert's [[spoiler:portable rocket launcher]] and the miniature bombs he made for Guts. The big caveat that makes the trope still present is that besides these characters, warfare is still universally waged with arrows from massed bowmen and crossbowmen, and even the countries whose large number of cannons suggest the technological capacity to mass-produce hand firearms for their troops continue to rely on old-fashioned archery without a hand gun handgun in sight. The fact that Rickert also invented an AutomaticCrossbow for Guts that fires faster than any gun suggests that bows won't become obsolete any time soon.

** You have to pay attention, but during the Land of Waves arc, in one of the shops Sakura goes into, you can see the owner has a shotgun. Much later, in Part 2, Suigetsu jokingly threatens Sasuke by holding a finger-pistol to his head. Should be noted, though, most ninja possess enough SuperSpeed to render guns moot (at the very least, they are far too fast for most shooters, if not the bullets) and possess far greater destructive power, with the strongest capable of destroying Villages and mountains and and single-handily taking on entire ''countries'' in battle. In other words, [[JustifiedTrope they don't really need guns all that much.]]** It can also be argued that the necessity of guns dropped due to the difference in how battles are fought; in the Naruto universe, combat tends to be more focused on speed and stealth rather than firepower. Guns are notorious for being loud, and take precious seconds to reload, seconds that your enemy could take to send a kunai down your throat. While guns may make small appearances here and there, guns in the Naruto universe are woefully outclassed in large scale warfare, and therefore are pretty rare to find being utilized in combat.

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** You have to pay attention, but during the Land of Waves arc, in one of the shops Sakura goes into, you can see the owner has a shotgun. Much later, in Part 2, Suigetsu jokingly threatens Sasuke by holding a finger-pistol to his head. Should be noted, though, most ninja possess enough SuperSpeed to render guns moot (at the very least, they are far too fast for most shooters, if not the bullets) and possess far greater destructive power, with the strongest capable of destroying Villages and mountains and and single-handily taking on entire ''countries'' in battle. In other words, [[JustifiedTrope they don't really need guns all that much.]]** It can also be argued that the necessity of guns dropped due to the difference in how battles are fought; in the Naruto universe, combat tends to be more focused on speed and stealth rather than firepower. Guns are notorious for being loud, and take precious seconds to reload, seconds that your enemy could take to send a kunai down your throat. While guns may make small appearances here and there, guns in the Naruto universe are woefully outclassed in large scale warfare, warfare and therefore are pretty rare to find being utilized in combat.

* ''Manga/{{Drifters}}'' actually uses this as a plot point. The eponymous Drifters, being sucked from various ages and times in our world, range from those used to fighting with nothing but swords and arrows, to the Wild Bunch (with six-shooters and an early gatling gun) and a Japanese Zero pilot. The world they're dumped in, however, is roughly around the same era of advancement as 1100's Europe, with no real machinery and firearms being a near-complete unknown. One of OdaNobunaga's first tasks is to get large supplies of sulphur and charcoal and to start the creation of a saltpeter pit for gunpowder, and practically creams himself when he sees how far ahead of muskets the Wild Bunch's firearms are. The Drifters are explicitly changing the rate of technological expansion at a breakneck pace every time they're brought in, and it's even stated directly by the guy who summons them that it's one of their primary purposes -- to force the world to advance well beyond the pace it normally would.

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* ''Manga/{{Drifters}}'' actually uses this as a plot point. The eponymous Drifters, being sucked from various ages and times in our world, range from those used to fighting with nothing but swords and arrows, to the Wild Bunch (with six-shooters and an early gatling Gatling gun) and a Japanese Zero pilot. The world they're dumped in, however, is roughly around the same era of advancement as 1100's Europe, with no real machinery and firearms being a near-complete unknown. One of OdaNobunaga's first tasks is to get large supplies of sulphur and charcoal and to start the creation of a saltpeter pit for gunpowder, and practically creams himself when he sees how far ahead of muskets the Wild Bunch's firearms are. The Drifters are explicitly changing the rate of technological expansion at a breakneck pace every time they're brought in, and it's even stated directly by the guy who summons them that it's one of their primary purposes -- to force the world to advance well beyond the pace it normally would.

* Both justified and subverted in ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}''. Since the Empire coexists with modern-day Earth, the Adversary could provide his army with modern firearms. He chooses not to, because he fears that introducing guns to commoners might lead to rebellion. [[spoiler:The exiled Fables of Fabletown have no such inhibitions towards modern arms technology, which is one of the main reasons they win the war against the Empire.]]

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* Both justified and subverted in ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}''. Since the Empire coexists with modern-day Earth, the Adversary could provide his army with modern firearms. He chooses not to, to because he fears that introducing guns to commoners might lead to rebellion. [[spoiler:The exiled Fables of Fabletown have no such inhibitions towards modern arms technology, which is one of the main reasons they win the war against the Empire.]]

* Averted in ''FanFic/{{Sluagh}}'', as Seamus is equally adept with a firearm as with a wand, and the muggle militiamen stand their own against the onslaught of magicians during the battle of Druim Cett. As Seamus noted, waving around a machine pistol in wartorn Belfast attracts far less attention than brandishing a wooden stick that shoots red thunderbolts.

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* Averted in ''FanFic/{{Sluagh}}'', as Seamus is equally adept with a firearm as with a wand, and the muggle militiamen stand their own against the onslaught of magicians during the battle of Druim Cett. As Seamus noted, waving around a machine pistol in wartorn war-torn Belfast attracts far less attention than brandishing a wooden stick that shoots red thunderbolts.

* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' Most civilians carry low-tech weapons like swords and crossbows even though cartridge firearms were invented before electricity was harnessed. This is explained as guns being illegal for civilians to own, which was graphically demonstrated on a rebel who got caught by the militia for illegally possessing guns in [[Recap/RevolutionS1E2ChainedHeat Episode 2]]. However, that doesn't explain why militia members, who are allowed to have guns, only use muskets. Could be explained by most of the modern ammunition being used up during the intervening 15 years. Musketballs are probably easier to manufacture with primitive technology. This theory is verified by [[Recap/RevolutionS1E3NoQuarter Episode 3]], with Jeremy mentioning that pre-blackout ammunition was a rare commodity and that copper jackets and smokeless powder were beyond at least the Monroe Republic's manufacturing capabilities.* ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'' featured a storyline where the extra-dimensional demons the Rangers were facing began arming their troops with rifle. As the Samurai Rangers were almost exclusively armed with non-long ranged weaponry (the blue ranger had a bow), they greatly outclassed until developing their own ranged ordnance: the Bullzooka. [[note]]This story paralleled historical conflicts at the end of Japan's Edo period when samurai were outmatched by soldiers armed with rifles.[[/note]]

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* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' Most civilians carry low-tech weapons like swords and crossbows even though cartridge firearms were invented before electricity was harnessed. This is explained as guns being illegal for civilians to own, which was graphically demonstrated on a rebel who got caught by the militia for illegally possessing guns in [[Recap/RevolutionS1E2ChainedHeat Episode 2]]. However, that doesn't explain why militia members, who are allowed to have guns, only use muskets. Could be explained by most of the modern ammunition being used up during the intervening 15 years. Musketballs Musket balls are probably easier to manufacture with primitive technology. This theory is verified by [[Recap/RevolutionS1E3NoQuarter Episode 3]], with Jeremy mentioning that pre-blackout ammunition was a rare commodity and that copper jackets and smokeless powder were beyond at least the Monroe Republic's manufacturing capabilities.* ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'' featured a storyline where the extra-dimensional demons the Rangers were facing began arming their troops with rifle.rifles. As the Samurai Rangers were almost exclusively armed with non-long ranged weaponry (the blue ranger had a bow), they greatly outclassed until developing their own ranged ordnance: the Bullzooka. [[note]]This story paralleled historical conflicts at the end of Japan's Edo period when samurai were outmatched by soldiers armed with rifles.[[/note]]

* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' only had throwing disks, explosive fruit and energy projectiles for half of its run, then introduced more gun-like weapons due to ExecutiveMeddling (they sold better than close-combat weapons), the most notable being the Cordak [[GatlingGood Gatling guns]] whose projectiles weren't magical energy-blasts or {{Phlebotinum}} shells, but genuine explosives. The Zamor launchers, Midak Skyblasters, Nynrah Ghost blasters and Thornax launchers are more fantasy-esque, but resemble personal, hand-held firearms. Kopaka's Skyblaster is even outfitted with a bayonet, Gali's Nynrah Ghost gun has crosshairs attached, and both have laser-sights.

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* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' only had throwing disks, explosive fruit and energy projectiles for half of its run, then introduced more gun-like weapons due to ExecutiveMeddling (they sold better than close-combat weapons), the most notable being the Cordak [[GatlingGood Gatling guns]] whose projectiles weren't magical energy-blasts energy blasts or {{Phlebotinum}} shells, but genuine explosives. The Zamor launchers, Midak Skyblasters, Nynrah Ghost blasters and Thornax launchers are more fantasy-esque, fantasy-esque but resemble personal, hand-held firearms. Kopaka's Skyblaster is even outfitted with a bayonet, Gali's Nynrah Ghost gun has crosshairs attached, and both have laser-sights.

* [[Literature/TheLayOfPaulTwister Paul Twister]] apparently DoesntLikeGuns, and in his narration he says that that's one thing he has no intention of [[GivingRadioToTheRomans starting one of his research projects on.]] And in the epilogue, we find out that [[spoiler: the invention of gunpowder was what prompted the dragons to separate the world of magic from Earth, and they've been [[EnforcedTrope suppressing knowledge of it]] ever since. Ryell tells Paul that guns, bombs and rockets are "abominations" that are forbidden. She claims that she wants to preserve a peaceful world; Paul theorizes that the real reason is that they would make it possible to create weapons that could easily harm a dragon.]]

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* [[Literature/TheLayOfPaulTwister Paul Twister]] apparently DoesntLikeGuns, and in his narration narration, he says that that's one thing he has no intention of [[GivingRadioToTheRomans starting one of his research projects on.]] And in the epilogue, we find out that [[spoiler: the invention of gunpowder was what prompted the dragons to separate the world of magic from Earth, and they've been [[EnforcedTrope suppressing knowledge of it]] ever since. Ryell tells Paul that guns, bombs bombs, and rockets are "abominations" that are forbidden. She claims that she wants to preserve a peaceful world; Paul theorizes that the real reason is that they would make it possible to create weapons that could easily harm a dragon.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' and its sequel ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' are an interesting case. Guns don't appear, although by the second series technology has progressed to not just cars, radios, and skyscrapers, but [[spoiler:biplanes, plasma cutters, and even ''MiniMecha'']]. This is explained by the fact that rudimentary early firearms wouldn't have stood a chance against powerful [[ElementalPowers benders]], especially the [[ExtraOredinary metal-benders]]. However, gunpowder and other explosives are quite prevalent, and used in both war and terrorism. One cannon is even seen as early as the first series. In the final season of ''Korra'', [[spoiler:Kuvira's [[FantasticNuke spirit energy]] WaveMotionGun]] bears great resemblance to a real-life railway cannon, and is referred to as such.

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* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' and its sequel ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' are an interesting case. Guns don't appear, although by the second series technology has progressed to not just cars, radios, and skyscrapers, but [[spoiler:biplanes, plasma cutters, and even ''MiniMecha'']]. This is explained by the fact that rudimentary early firearms wouldn't have stood a chance against powerful [[ElementalPowers benders]], especially the [[ExtraOredinary metal-benders]]. However, gunpowder and other explosives are quite prevalent, prevalent and used in both war and terrorism. One cannon is even seen as early as the first series. In the final season of ''Korra'', [[spoiler:Kuvira's [[FantasticNuke spirit energy]] WaveMotionGun]] bears great resemblance to a real-life railway cannon, and is referred to as such.

Something to note is that this primarily applies to fantasy set in [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy the typical medieval-ish setting]], with castles, swords, knights and so on. UrbanFantasy tends to have no problem mixing guns and vampires, witches, wizards, etc., since this form of {{Fantasy}} tends to use the modern world as we know it. The same goes for ScienceFantasy, where the intent is to MixAndMatch things like laser guns and spells. More horror-oriented fantasy works also tend to avert it--if werewolves and vampires are featured, SilverBullets are likely to follow. When it comes to FairyTales, the trope is absent.

to:

Something to note is that this primarily applies to fantasy set in [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy the typical medieval-ish setting]], with castles, swords, knights and so on. UrbanFantasy tends to have no problem mixing guns and vampires, witches, wizards, etc., since this form of {{Fantasy}} tends to use the modern world as we know it. The same goes for ScienceFantasy, where the intent is to MixAndMatch things like laser guns and spells. More horror-oriented fantasy works also tend to avert it--if werewolves and vampires are featured, SilverBullets [[SilverBullet silver bullets]] are likely to follow.be used. When it comes to FairyTales, the trope is absent.

Something to note is that this primarily applies to fantasy set in [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy the typical medieval-ish setting]], with castles, swords, knights and so on. UrbanFantasy tends to have no problem mixing guns and vampires, witches, wizards, etc., since this form of {{Fantasy}} tends to use the modern world as we know it. The same goes for ScienceFantasy, where the intent is to MixAndMatch things like laser guns and spells. When it comes to FairyTales, the trope is absent.

to:

Something to note is that this primarily applies to fantasy set in [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy the typical medieval-ish setting]], with castles, swords, knights and so on. UrbanFantasy tends to have no problem mixing guns and vampires, witches, wizards, etc., since this form of {{Fantasy}} tends to use the modern world as we know it. The same goes for ScienceFantasy, where the intent is to MixAndMatch things like laser guns and spells. More horror-oriented fantasy works also tend to avert it--if werewolves and vampires are featured, SilverBullets are likely to follow. When it comes to FairyTales, the trope is absent.

* ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'' has this, which is odd, since the story is set in a [[FantasyCounterpartCulture magical fantasy counterpart of 1820s Scandinavia]], and everyone is fighting either with weapons that were in use almost exclusively parallely to firearms (like 19th century cavalry sabres and lances) or inexcusably anachronistic ''crossbows''.** By extension this is true for {{Disney}}'s ''Disney/{{Tangled}}'' which takes place in ruffly the same time period.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is possibly the strangest show to avert this. Rainbow Dash mentions she wants a pet "fast, like a bullet," names the pet she gets "tank," and Pinkie Pie has a party cannon. This is really strange considering A) it is a show about magical ponies marketed to little girls, and B) no pony actually has fingers and a third of the population has access to magic.\\\Even more bizarrely, the closest thing to an actual firearm in the show is the show's main magic-attuned character, Twilight Sparkle, herself. In two different episodes, she rapidly "fires" magic energy at other characters in a manner similar to automatic weaponry. In "A Canterlot Wedding" Pinkie Pie uses Twilight Sparkle as a magic Gatling gun by grabbing Twilight's tail and using it as a trigger, causing Twilight's unicorn horn to rapidly fire at [[spoiler:an army of changelings]]. In "Too Many Pinkie Pies" Twilight fires rapid-fire spells at [[spoiler:a number of Pinkie Pie clones]] until her horn overheats and needs to cool down.

* Similar to the ''Amber'' example below, guns are simply impractical in ''Necrophim'' because gunpowder spontaneously explodes when brought near a furnace. In prog 1665, one of Astaroth's lieutenants recruits five real-life firearms engineers to develops guns that will function correctly in {{Hell}}.

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* Similar to the ''Amber'' example below, guns Guns are simply impractical in ''Necrophim'' because gunpowder spontaneously explodes when brought near a furnace. In prog 1665, one of Astaroth's lieutenants recruits five real-life firearms engineers to develops guns that will function correctly in {{Hell}}.

** There's a Vietnam era rocket launcher and a WWII era Zero fighter aircraft appear in the first season. Being from Earth the natives don't know how they work. Colbert learns how to make gasoline for the plane and the fact that the Zero fighter still has ammunition in the second season suggests that SOMEONE learned to make bullets. A Howitzer appears in season 3.\\\Gunpowder weaponry are more prominent in the light novels, which isn't a surprise since they are based in [[FantasyCounterpartCulture magical 16th century Europe]].

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** There's a Vietnam era rocket launcher and a WWII era Zero fighter aircraft appear in the first season. Being from Earth the natives don't know how they work. Colbert learns how to make gasoline for the plane and the fact that the Zero fighter still has ammunition in the second season suggests that SOMEONE learned to make bullets. A Howitzer appears in season 3.\\\3.** Gunpowder weaponry are more prominent in the light novels, which isn't a surprise since they are based in [[FantasyCounterpartCulture magical 16th century Europe]].

* ''Manga/InuYasha'' is fully aware of the time period it is set in, where firearms are growing in popularity but haven't quite reached Japan yet. So when one of the [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Band of Seven]] has guns, they're just handwaved as being imported. Before the arc is over, he gets turned into a [[RuleOfCool tank with missiles]] .

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* ''Manga/InuYasha'' is fully aware of the time period it is set in, where firearms are growing in popularity but haven't quite reached Japan yet. So when one of the [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Band of Seven]] has guns, they're just handwaved {{handwave}}d as being imported. Before the arc is over, he gets turned into a [[RuleOfCool tank with missiles]] .missiles]].

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